Summerfest annouces initial lineup for Juneteenth partnership

Milwaukee’s Summerfest will host its first-ever Juneteenth celebration in June 2025. The festival partnered with Northcott Neighborhood House to expand the city’s traditional celebrations. The event begins at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 19, at the Summerfest grounds. Multiple stages will feature national and local artists throughout the evening.

Grammy winner Gary Clark Jr. leads the initial lineup of confirmed performers. Other artists include Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Ginuwine, Joy Oladokun, and Mike Jones.

The opening ceremony will showcase traditional Juneteenth scholarship recipients. These include Ms. Juneteenth, Mr. Juneteenth, and their youth counterparts. Milwaukee’s Juneteenth parade and festival will continue on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The Summerfest celebration serves as an evening extension of these daytime activities.

Sarah Pancheri, President of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc., emphasized the event’s community significance. “Milwaukee’s Juneteenth festival and Summerfest are longstanding events in our community,” she stated. Northcott Neighborhood House Executive Director Tony Kearney welcomed the collaboration. He noted Milwaukee’s position among the nation’s largest Juneteenth celebrations.

Festival organizers plan to announce additional local performers and programming details in 2025. American Family Insurance presents this expanded celebration of African American culture. The partnership marks a significant expansion of Milwaukee’s Juneteenth celebrations. The city maintains one of the country’s oldest and largest Juneteenth observances.